


just you and i

by oceandawn



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22898503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceandawn/pseuds/oceandawn
Summary: ben realises something when he finds callum
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 94





	just you and i

**Author's Note:**

> just uploading this short thing i posted on tumblr the night of the friday boat episode. you can send prompts to my ask box @ oceandawning
> 
> twitter: oceandawns

Ben doesn't know what to say. The last seven hours have been lonely, more than most days because he doesn't have Callum.

And now he's there, bruised and broken in both mental and physical, trying to smile because he knows how Ben must feel.

Ben can't say anything, throat still rough from swallowing water his body rejected, hearing muffled and vision blurred, but Callum is there. He's used to the silhouette of him when he wakes up, but the red on his face is something Ben can't bare.

"I'm alright," Callum says, and Ben can't hear him, only the mumble when he stands near. "We're alright."

Callum takes his hand, and Ben breathes, feels the sting in his eyes because he finally has him home, finally safe. Guilt is replaced with something overwhelming, almost deafening in a world he can barely hear anyway.

He loves him. Can't do without him.

Callum pulls him closer, grips the back of Ben's coat. Ben's hoarse sorry against Callum's neck makes him close his eyes. He breathes Ben in, squeezing him tight. When Callum speaks again, Ben can feel the words against his skin, and he realises it's the most safe and warm of sounds.

Ben can't take it anymore, now he has him here, the thought of ever letting go or saying goodbye burns his throat. Not knowing if he was alright, thinking he'd ran out of time and never said those eight little letters digging a pain so deep in his chest that all he could do was _scream._

He can't lie to him, he can't lie to Callum anymore, to try and hide it behind actions because he's scared of what fate and its weaving hands will do to him.

So he won't. He'll say the truth that's so hard to speak, but there's no point lying when the truth is so obviously there.

 _"I love you,"_ breaks through Ben's lips, pushing his face into Callum even more, like he wants him to feel those words, to apologise for the times he didn't.

But Callum knows, and he smiles. "I know, Ben. I know."

Callum brings his head back, kisses his forehead with the tenderness Ben remembers, love he can feel, and Ben just says it again. He feels the words against his skin, and Callum smiles, pained by a cut to his lip, but he doesn't care.

Ben doesn't count how long he stays there with him, just holding, but he does count each one of Callum's heartbeats, thumping so rhythmically he almost falls to slumber.

But Callum is there to catch him when he does, in the warmth of his arms again. Callum will always be there to catch him, to bring him back down when the storm's too rough, an anchor, even when his own body aches for the calm shores after so much pain. 

But they're here, safe. Ben loves him, says it again when they fall asleep under covers, and Callum kisses his cheek before he too, surrenders to the sleep he so desperately needs.


End file.
